as in wrenching
intensely or unbearably painful
watched the final torturing moments of the game as the lead constantly shifted between the two teams
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in deformation
the twisting of something out of a natural or normal shape or condition
fans of the natural look frown on the torturing of garden trees and shrubs into fantastic shapes
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in persecuting
to cause persistent suffering to
the neighbor's dog constantly tortures our cat, barking at him and chasing him down the street
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in distorting
to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition
tortured her naturally straight hair into curls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torturing
Noun
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Hidden cascades of seismic ice stream deformation ETH Zürich: Ice streams move due to tiny ice quakes Avery Hurt is a freelance science journalist.—
Avery Hurt,
Discover Magazine,
26 Mar. 2025 -
The study showed how ground deformation varied across the cities—for example, the area around LaGuardia Airport is sinking much faster than most of the rest of New York City.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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Included in that torturous run was a 24-game losing streak.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
1 June 2025
-
Jenkins wants to retire to focus on her health, leaving a legacy of having led her community through a torturous time.—
Curtis Bunn,
NBC news,
25 May 2025
Noun
-
In addition to being a crucial group, the measure also avoids some of the demographic distortions associated with other methods.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
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Built on manic, strobing guitars and undulating waves of distortion, the music feels both cutting and brutalizing.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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An agonizing and eventful 42 minutes later, elation erupted throughout the century-old ballpark as rookie catcher Carlos Narváez clocked a single off the wall for a 2-1 walk-off win for the Red Sox in the 10th inning.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
14 June 2025
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An alligator that narrowly escaped poachers in Florida was left in an agonizing predicament when a cord cinched to its head began slicing off its nose, a YouTube video shows.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
13 June 2025
Noun
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However, the council continued to deny any connection between the waste removal and the limb deformities, according to The Guardian.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
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The article had uncovered four instances of limb deformities, and 19 families ended up signing onto the class action suit.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
TIME,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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That’s changing this year, as three Democratic governors announced new initiatives aimed at addressing disparities afflicting boys and men.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
25 Mar. 2025
-
One key focus of these efforts should address the deficiencies afflicting the market for biologics, which are medicines made or derived from biological processes.—
Wayne Winegarden,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Anderson won his first of his record 23 races in 2005 and broke his ankle in the celebrations, but the excruciating pain and eight weeks in a cast didn’t put him off.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
25 May 2025
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This became even more imposing when, toward the end of Game Four—another one that the Knicks seemed poised to win—the Celtics star Jayson Tatum suffered an excruciating injury to his Achilles tendon and crumpled onto the hardwood, howling in pain.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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During periods of intense rainfall, the risk of flooding increases, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 June 2025
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Healthy people can still experience short-term symptoms like fever, intense headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
12 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Torturing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torturing. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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